Nicole Joy – Nicole Joy Inspire

Nicole Joy is an inspirational foodie who shares her story of rediscovering her love of food, particularly the sweet kind, through her successful blog, sell-out dessert classes and recipe book, ‘Why it’s perfectly acceptable to eat dessert for breakfast’. Nicole believes in nourishing the body and soul with delicious, wholesome ingredients, and advocates that healthy eating does not mean compromising on flavour. Meet Nicole…

Tell us about your journey, what sparked your passion for the health and wellness industry?

I had started a company that I wasn’t passionate about and it was making life pretty stressful. One day – I literally had enough and quit. It was scary but oh-so-liberating at the same time. I’m Italian, so my fondest memories are being in the kitchen with my nonna and mum. I got back to my roots and now food is back as one of the most important things in my life! I found that so many ‘healthy’ treats were loaded with sugar and preservatives so I started experimenting and came up with a few winning combinations. We had taste testing nights on the living room floors at my friends places which then lead to selling my treats to local cafes and health food stores which then lead to…a book!

What’s your number one wellness tip?

You don’t find time for yourself – you MAKE it.

What’s your one non-negotiable when it comes to your health?

Green Smoothies – cannot have a day without one!

What motto do you live by?

The most important relationship we have is the one we have with ourselves.

What is your proudest achievement?

Self-publishing my first book – amazing moment.

What are your goals for the future?

More books, facilitate retreats, travel around and take my healthy cooking and philosophy to as many women as I can!

Tell us something not many people know about you?

I auditioned for Popstars! I love to sing – but man I blew that audition. {cringe}

Grease a 22cm tart tin (one with a removable bottom) with 1 teaspon coconut oil and set aside. Process nuts, coconut and cacao until crumbly. Add the dates, one at a time and process until no large chunks remain. Pinch the mixture together between your fingers – if it holds its shape it’s the right consistency. If not, add 1 Tbsp cold water at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. Save a big handful of the base mixture to sprinkle over the tart as a final step. Push the remaining mixture down evenly into the base and sides of the prepared tin. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

Blend all ingredients except the psyllium husk until smooth. You may need to regularly stop the blender and scrape down the sides with a spatula to allow for a well combined mixture.Taste. Sweet enough? Adjust if desired. Add psyllium and blend well. Pour the mixture onto the prepared base and set aside to prepare the coulis.

Blend all ingredients together until a raspberry sauce is achieved. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired. Swirl through enough raspberry couli to create a ripple effect and save the rest to serve over the tart upon serving. Sprinkle the reserved base over the top and place in the freezer for 6 – 8 hours or overnight for best results. Cut into pieces when frozen solid and bring to room temperature about 30 minutes before eating.